The Heat of the Moment (Plot/Warrior Training C-B)

Cyrus walked into the main hall of the Lee estate. It was so much bigger than his old estate at home this is definitely what a noble’s home would look like if they were in favour of the emperor with a place like this its only natural that they wouldn’t want to give it up by rocking the boat. Cyrus had an uphill battle to climb walking through the wooden structure he would find his sister sitting in seiza style drinking tea and staring out the window at the grounds watching her sons play in the grounds with the children of the servants. “They're already walking now, how old are they now?” Ariana laughed, “Cyrus you’ve been gone so long they’re four and six now. Hard to believe that they grow up so fast.” Finishing her tea, she got up and made her way to Cyrus she hugged him gently. “Its been a long time Cyrus, How’s the family?”“Oh, they’ve scattered everywhere but not here its just us here” he let go of his sister and turned away from her “This war has been hard on you I take it…Its not even my war and I’ve felt the effects. I still smell the fires of the burning bodies and sometimes I can still feel the sting of smoke burning my eyes” He looked down and sighed “I wanted to be neutral in this war just help who needed to be helped but it looks like that can’t happen now can it?” He would look at his sister, who looked out at the now rising moon, for a response. “You are not young anymore and you are not that weak hearted surely. This is the sort of thing that happens people die in times of war.”“But I want to prevent that stop innocent civilians that have not part in this at all a conflict fought by nobles that they don’t know about and then wind up being killed in the process for no reason.” She “You’re still a child. This is how the world works and it is unchangeable! I’ve heard word of you’re deeds in the hinterlands defeating both Gao and the Emperor’s forces, in some vague hope that you will get so some utopian company that can stop war, fight for us and this war will be over.” She walked over to the table in the middle of the floor and invited Cyrus to sit down. “We are trying to protect our own interests simply that Wei-Hao and I have worked too hard to let it all fall to naught because of some childish fantasy” Cyrus exhaled silently as if to let all his disappointment out and said ”I will join you under one condition, I have to fight you and if I win you will give me the capital to start my business but if you win I will fight for you no questions asked” as the moon approached its zenith bathing them in its pale white hue they had been sitting for hours and he didn’t even realize it. He was still so consumed by his desire for a better world that he did something stupid. Cyrus excused himself and walked back to his room on the estate thinking about all the ways he could try to train beat his sister. For three weeks he would train hard thinking of all the things that he had done to get here so far facing pirates, other warriors and fighting his own mind to get here. Cyrus pulled every stop in the book to try defeat his sister. He started with basic drill with his scythe before working on this thing called magoi manipulation. This is something that his sister had mentioned to him but he only just figured out now. By controlling his life force he was able to use his magoi to help turn the tide of battle. He hoped that he could master it in the few weeks he had before he would have to fight his sister. He was reluctant to do so because he didn’t like fighting very much if he didn’t have to. Sill though, persevered training for two weeks with Wei Hao and Rokusai. After those two weeks he decided to face his sister. His heart was in his throat and he could hardly sleep but he needed to do this and prove himself to his sister. He had to beat her and no longer be the lazy middle child but be the entrepreneur that would do great things and help the world. Today was the day that he would prove himself once and for all Rokusai sat back and watched his master with quiet intensity. Ariana drew her sword and pointed it at Cyrus. Before he could blink, she had launched at him. Her blade was like steel wind that he barely had time to dodge he managed to keep enough distance such that he could launch an attack, his headless sky! Executed perfectly, the move would definitely be enough to break her defences just enough that he could go for a finishing blow. However as he was just about strike he parried him with unfathomable speed. He reeled back blood spilling from his nose and mouth. “Didn’t Wei-Hao teach you anything about magoi manipulation?” she lunged at him again, sword drawn as if to give a finishing blow. Cyrus retaliated. He infused his scythe with magoi, which cushioned the blow from his sister’s blade “Well, Well at least you’re learning that should have broken that scythe in half.” “I’m not as weak as I once was and I will defeat you.” He would charge at he with all his strength sliding under her feet, he knew that he was more lithe than she was, and hook her feet pulling her down before delivering coup de grace, however his sister new him better than he thought. Anticipating this she let him hook her feet and drag her down to the ground. She then gathered some soil in her hand and created a smokescreen which Cyrus reeled back has he was going to end the duel disorientated by the dust this was just enough for her to catch him off guard and knock his weapon away ending the duel. “Well it looks like you’re fighting for me Cyrus, keep it up and you will go far, you’ve improved a lot.” Ariana walked off back into the house leaving Cyrus to contemplate what had just happened he was fighting in a war that he didn’t really believe in and worse still, he failed to show up his sister. But on the bright side he was learning his attempts at magoi manipulation had worked out even though it didn’t help in the long run he would probably have to practice more with Wei-Hao but that would have to wait until after the war.